AIA and mindful MATERIALS partner to advance holistic product specification

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["strong"],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/pages\/6351155-materials-pledge","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.mindfulmaterials.com\/the-common-framework","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.mindfulmaterials.com\/intro","target","_new"]],["i"],["a",["href","http:\/\/www.mindfulmaterials.com\/"]],["b"]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"WASHINGTON \u2013 June 29,\n2022 \u2013 "],[0,[],0,"The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and\nmindful MATERIALS have entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance\nholistic product specification."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The goal for this\npartnership is to deepen collaboration and provide resources, education and\nsupport to continue to grow AIA\u2019s "],[0,[1],1,"Architecture \u0026 Design Materials Pledge"],[0,[],0,", a significant member engagement program within AIA\u2019s climate action\ninitiatives, in-step with similar industry initiatives. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"With over 162 firms\nsigning the pledge to date, this collaboration will also bring critical clarity\nto firms seeking to take action to achieve their pledge commitments, by recognizing\na common framework for defining product sustainability as established by the mindful\nMATERIALS"],[0,[2],1," Common\nMaterials Framework (CMF)."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The A\u0026D Materials\nPledge established an industry vision for the \u2018north star\u2019 of building product\nsustainability, allowing architects and designers to publicly commit over time\nto demanding and specifying products that disclose and reduce their impacts\nacross five categories of sustainability: Climate Health, Human Health,\nEcosystem Health, Social Health \u0026 Equity within a Circular Economy. "],[0,[3],1,"Other stakeholder materials\npledges"],[0,[],0," have since followed suit, pledging to support these same categories\nof health in producing and selecting building products."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"It is critical that\nthese pledges recognize a consistent definition of what constitutes each one of\nthese five categories of health and sustainability, to support industry\nalignment in reducing the embodied impacts of building materials. To support\nthis need, mindful MATERIALS established a diverse, "],[0,[2],1,"cross-stakeholder industry group of materials experts"],[0,[],0," to build a Common Materials Framework. Participants reviewed existing\nsustainability certifications, labels and mapped and organized how factors\nwithin each contribute to meeting those \u2018buckets\u2019 of health defined in the\npledge. This consistent foundation of knowledge will support the creation of\nmeaningful and aligned metrics, tools and accountability. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As of June 2022,\nmindful MATERIALS has completed version 1 of the Common Materials Framework and\nwill be digitizing that framework and integrating it into its cloud-based\ndatabase by Greenbuild and working with other tech platforms to recognize the\nCMF, allowing for achievement of the materials pledge and more consistent\ndecision-making regarding sustainability wherever architects and designers are\nworking."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThis partnership is\nan important step for AIA\u2019s members and our building product manufacturing\npartners as we rally around a consistent, holistic approach to sustainable\nproduct specification,\u201d said AIA EVP\/Chief Executive Officer Lakisha Ann Woods,\nCAE. \u201cIndustry consensus around what constitutes a sustainable material will\naccelerate transformation within firms and create business development opportunities\nfor manufacturers.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"New opportunities for\nAIAU CE courses for member education and knowledge in this area and BPMs\/CE\nProviders to expand course offerings in this area developed by both mindful\nMATERIALs and AIA."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cWe can no longer\nignore the \u2018why\u2019 behind materials sustainability in the built environment. Science\nhas proven the enormous and complex impacts of materials supply chains, and\ngeographic and social inequities exacerbate those impacts unequally and\nunfairly,\u201d says Annie Bevan, CEO of mindful MATERIALS. \u201cBut while the \u2018why\u2019 may\nbe clear, the \u2018how\u2019 of drastically reducing the embodied impacts of our built\nenvironment has been our biggest challenge. This partnership by AIA and mindful\nMATERIALs and the Common Materials Framework is a critical step to changing\nthis.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"There has been an\nincredible breadth and depth of work done to date to highlight unsustainable\npractices, and to help identify more sustainable products through various\necolabels and standards. Adoption of the Common Materials Framework will only\naccelerate that progress, by amplifying that work and making it easier for architects\nand designers to consistently identify and find sustainability products so they\ncan make sustainability standard for "],[0,[4],1,"every"],[0,[],0," building."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThis collaboration is\nso exciting because it recognizes that the only way to meaningfully reduce the\nimpacts of buildings through materials, is together,\u201d added Bevan."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[],0,"About mindful MATERIALS"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"mindful MATERIALS\u2019\nmission is to reverse the embodied impacts of the built environment by driving\nthe use of regenerative and restorative building products that meet an\nindustry-aligned framework for health, sustainability and resilience, the\nCommon Materials Framework."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Mindful MATERIALs\nfurthers its mission through a global cross-sector collaboration hub to develop\nand drive adoption of the common materials framework, which is digitized\nthrough its curated digital materials library and connected to industry tools,\nresources, education and advocacy for the greater benefit of all."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"To learn more about\nmindful MATERIALs and the Common Materials Framework visit "],[0,[5],1,"www.mindfulmaterials.com"],[0,[],0,"."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[6],1,"About AIA"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Founded\nin 1857, AIA consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and\nsustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through more than 200\ninternational, state and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that\npromote economic vitality and public wellbeing."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them\nin their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders\nand the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities,\ninstitutions, nation, and world. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct\nto ensure the highest professional standards."]]]]}